Russia – Ukraine war updates: daily briefings as of August 18, 2016

Russia – Ukraine war updates from the war zone in southeast Ukraine as of August 18, 2016 by ATO HQ operational dataand Presidential Administration spokesman on ATO issues briefing: EMPR highlights.

(1) Russia’s hybrid forces doubled attacks over the last day and opened fire 96 (!) times upon Ukrainian troops (52 times the day before), including 19 times on Luhansk direction, 45 times on Donetsk direction and 32 times on Mariupol direction; Russian occupiers used forbidden artillery and released 300 artillery shells and 500 mortar mines all across the frontline;

(2) Luhansk direction: Number of Russian forces firing dramatically increased; Russian occupiers used heavy 122-mm artillery several times during the day in Popasna; Russian heavy forbidden artillery fire reported in Novooleksandrivka; the enemy opened fire with grenade launchers in Zolote, Stanytsya Luhanska and Krymske; Russian armored vehicles were used also in Stanytsya Luhanska, while Russian sniper fire took place in Popasna and Novooleksandrivka;

(3) Donetsk direction: Russian mortar and artillery attacks reported all across the front line; in particular, Russian occupiers released 134 shells from 122-mm artillery upon Ukrainian positions in Avdiivka; the same forbidden 122-mm artillery have been used by Russian forces during firing at Pisky, Novoselivka Druha, Pershogo Travnya and Luhanske; Russian APCs were used in Novgorodske and Zaytseve; the enemy used antitank missile systems in Novoselivka Druha; to this end, Russian occupiers launched 10 attacks from heavy forbidden artillery on this direction;

(4) Mariupol direction: Russian forces used 122-artilley against Ukrainian positions in Maryinka; in the meantime, the enemy’s attacks with the used of the heaviest 152-mm artillrey took place in Siotne; Russian occupiers fired with mortars, grenade launchers and heavy machine guns all across the front direction Krasnogorivka – Shyrokino; in addition, Russian forces used armored vehicles near Shyrokino, while APCs near Krasnogorivka; to this end, Russian sniper fire reported in Maryinka;

(5) Russian hybrid forces losses in the war zone in southeat Ukraine over the last day are as follows: 3 killed and 3 wounded;

(6) 3 Ukrainian servicemen were killed in action and 6 servicemen were wounded in action in the war zone in southeast Ukraine over the last 24 hours.